Defense Minister Prabowo: Indonesia Ready To Send Peace Troops To Gaza

Photo: Doc. Antara

JAKARTA - Defense Minister Prabowo Subianto said that Indonesia is ready to send peacekeepers to Gaza to maintain and monitor the ceasefire between Palestine and Israel.

"We (Indonesia) are ready to send peacekeeping forces to provide protection and security to all parties," Prabowo said while attending the 21st International Institute for Strategic Studies (IISS) Shangri-La Dialogue in Singapore, quoted from Antara, Saturday, June 1.

He explained that the move was Indonesia's commitment to maintaining peace in Gaza, and supporting the ceasefire between Palestine and Israel.

He also said that the move was a way for Indonesia to support all efforts that could accelerate the development of a two-state solution to overcome the Palestinian-Israeli conflict.

In addition, he said that Indonesia is ready to send medical personnel to operate field hospitals in Gaza with the approval of both parties.

"Indonesia is also very willing to evacuate and care for Palestinian civilians who are injured and require treatment at field hospitals," he said.

He then emphasized that the President of the Republic of Indonesia Joko Widodo had instructed himself to evacuate, receive, and treat around 1,000 patients with medical treatment in the near future.

In the international forum, he also appealed to all parties to work together to realize a permanent ceasefire and comprehensive peace between Palestine and Israel.

Meanwhile, he explained that the conflict in Gaza is important because Indonesia is part of a country with the largest Muslim adherents in the world. Although, he said, the conflict was in Gaza, the Middle East, not Southeast Asia.

He also said that Indonesia understands that the conflict in Gaza is a problem that has a long history, and has been going on for a long time.